New York Times: "In a Car-Culture Clash, It’s the Los Angeles Police vs. Pedestrians"

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"... When bartender Adam Bialik stepped off the curb on his way to work at the Ritz-Carlton, a few blinks after the crossing signal began its red 'Don’t Walk' countdown, he was met by a waiting police officer on the other side of the street and issued a ticket for $197. 'I didn’t even know that was against the law,' he said.

"These pedestrians are confronting not only the police, but a historically entrenched car culture that has long defined the experience of living and working in Los Angeles. With its wide streets, and aggressive motorists zipping around corners, cutting in and out of lanes and sneaking past red lights, Los Angeles is hardly built for people who prefer to walk.

"Yet times may be changing. There are an increasing number of people using bicycles, taking advantage of an expanding network of bike lanes. Los Angeles is in the midst of a major expansion of its subway and bus system. Much of the urban planning in recent years, particularly downtown and in Hollywood, is intended to encourage people to give up their cars in favor of public transit, walking or biking."